VIVIAN MCMULLEN

CHILD FALLS FROM DOCK INTO RIVER
Little Vivian McMullan (sic) Loses Life While at Play on Docks
GET BODY TOO LATE TO REVIVE
Playing about the docks in the rear of the O. Torrison Company’s store Saturday
afternoon, little Vivian McMullan, five year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Oliver
McMullan, fell from the dock into the river to become a victim of drowning, the
child’s body being recovered after forty minutes but too late to resuscitate her
though physicians worked over the little form for three hours or more in hope
that life could be restored. The body was taken to the home at Ninth and York
street and the funeral will be held from the house tomorrow morning at 9 o’clock
Rev. Sheppley officiating.
With an older sister and other playmates the child had been playing about her home
which is within a block of the river and the little ones had wandered to the dock
in their games and while running along the dock in her play little Vivian suddenly
disappeared over the dock into the water. Her sister, realizing the danger made an
attempt to reach the child from a boat moored at the dock and then rushed to the
Hall Bros. offices to summon help and in the meantime a number of persons who heard
the cries of the children and witnessed the commotion on the dock, rushed to the
scene. George Kunz, who was on the opposite side of the river, crossed in a small
launch from which the body of the child was later recovered by Officers Carle and
Ludwig and Charles Schumacher. A peculiar feature of the accident is that the
child’s body did not rise to the surface after going down the first time and this
interfered with the work of recovering it.
Every effort was made to hasten the work of rescue and but for an unfortunate
circumstance the child might have been saved from death. After the rescuers had
been working for fifteen minutes, the hooks of the drag being used caught the
child’s dress, it was thought the body would be brought to the surface but in some
unaccountable manner, the body was released before reaching the surface and again
sank and it was nearly thirty minutes later before the body was again secured and
this time brought into the boat.
Drs. Meany, Gleason, Roberts and Westgate who were present immediately joined in
an effort to resuscitate the child but after forty-five minutes the attempt seemed
futile and the body was removed to the home where another effort was made but
without result.
Had the first efforts to recover the child been successful 15 minutes after the
accident, there is every hope that her life could have been saved, but after forty
minutes, it was impossible to revive the child. The accident is one carrying a heavy
burden of sorrow in to the McMullan home and the sympathy of the public will be
extended to the bereaved family. Little Vivian was a bright and lovable child and
had just been enrolled at the kindergarten schools of the city. Mr. McMillan is
associated with W. E. Pellet in the firm of Pellet & McMillan.
Manitowoc Daily Herald, September 19, 1910 P. 1
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CORONER’S INQUEST ON ACCIDENT
Inquest Held Over Death of McMullan (sic) Child in River.
PROBE REPORT GIRL WAS PUSHED OFF DOCK
To probe into reports that the child was pushed from the dock into the river and to
establish cause of the accident, a coroner’s jury is investigating the death of
Vivian McMullan, the 5-year old girl who lost her life in the river Saturday. Since
the accident a report has been current that the little girl was pushed from the dock
into the river and the district attorney decided to call an inquest to investigate.
The inquest is being held before Justice H.F. Kelley.
Sylvia McMullan, 7 year old sister of the dead girl who was playing on the dock with
her and a boy companion, was the most important witness in the inquest and in her
testimony declared upon cross examination by Justice Kelley that her sister had been
pushed twice. On cross examination by E.L. Kelley, who appeared for the boy whose name
is mentioned in the case, the child seemed confused and less certain in her statements
at the time of the terrible accident-said she had seen the boy’s arms pulled back as
would be the case had he pushed the girl and then her sister fell into the water. The
girl said the children had been playing on the dock and in the wood yard in the rear
of Torrison’s store. In her first statement the child said “I didn’t see her when she
fell but saw her touch the water.”
The boy who was playing with the McMullan girls, said that the child fell from the dock
while running along the edge and said that he was not near her at the time the accident
happened. The boy said he was seated upon a log considerable distance from the girl at
the time the accident happened. The boy said he was seated upon a log considerable
distance from the girl at the time and was clear and positive in his statements.
Oliver McMullan, father of the dead girl, testified to statements made to him by his
daughter Sylvia that her sister had been pushed from the dock but said he had no personal
knowledge of the accident. Hans Carlson, a shoe maker for the O. Torrison Co. noticed
the children at play but could throw but little light on the case, though he said it
was his recollection that the two girls were playing together and the boy was alone
and not with them.
Jay Hall who was called as a witness testified that as he left his office to go to the
scene of the accident, he overheard a woman remark, “I’ll venture that that boy pushed
her in” and the rumors which have been current may have been the result of this remark,
being repeated and exaggerated.
Dr. Meany and others were called relative to the recovery of the body and efforts to
revive the girl. The inquest was still in session at 4 o’clock this afternoon but will
probably be complete today…
Manitowoc Daily Herald, September 20, 1910 P. 1
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[bur. 09-20-1910/cause: drowning]